Mechanical toy demonstrator



Jan. 5, 1932. w. D. FERRls MECHANICAL T OY DEMONSTRATOR Filed 001'). 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l E11/@7W MMT/. r Zjym W Jan. 5, 1932. w. D. FERRIS MECHANICAL TOY DEMONSTRATOR Patented Jan. 5, 1932 unirse STA-'rus vPATENT OFFICE WrLLIAivr D. rnnnrs, or s'rnntrne,.Irranors,v Assenon To HUsTLER froY comonli- Tron, er sarna-LING, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or rumors.

.Application led ctoberl 31, 1929. Serial No. 403,724. I

This invention relates to demonstrators-for mechanical toys, andl more particularly to devices for demonstrating mechanical toys hav-, ing vehicle wheels adapted to travel on theV floor.

VGenerally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a demonstrator which will enable the wheeled mechanical toy to remain stationary in one position, but which will opcrate the vehicle wheels of the toy, and other parts thereof, thus simulating the natural or ordinary use or operation of the toy.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efliciency and the .desirability of a toy demonstrator of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which--l Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a mechanical toy demonstrator embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the said demonstrator, being in the nature of a horizontal section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprisesV a housing 1, provided with a stage opening 2 having a curtain 3, as shown. The Hoor of the stage is provided with an endless conveyor 4 mounted on rolls 5 and 6, this endless conveyor being in the form of a belt, for supporting the toy 7, which latter is of any. suitable or desired form, but preferablyhas vehicle wheels 8 that rest on said endless conveyor belt. Thus the broad fiat belt is operable with toys having the Wheels differently located thereon. n

Said belt is driven by a motor 9 through the medium of a sprocket chain 10, this sprocket chain or belt being mounted on sprocket wheels 11 and 12, secured respectively, to the shafts 13 and 14, as shown. The shaft 13 is operated by the motor 9, through any suitable power-transmitting connection, and the shaft 14 carries the roll 6, previously mentioned.

A roll-tightening .device is provided, comprising adjusting screws 15 andV 16, these screws being arranged toadjust the shaft 14 toward and away from the other shaftl', upon which the roll 5,` previously referred to, is mounted. In this way, the conveyor belt 4 is maintained in proper condition to support the said mechanical toy. 1 An electrical lamp A18 is preferably pro` vided `overthe stage behind the upper portion of the curtain 8, and thecircuitsfor this lamp, and for the previously mentioned motor 9, are controlled by yan ordinary hand-switch 19 of any suitable or desired character. Inthis way, when the switch 19 is closed, the motor 9 is started, the electrical lamp 18 is lighted, and the belt 4 is operated bythe roller '6 to thereby rotate the wheels 8 lof the mechanical toy, and in this way other portions of the toy are operated, depending upon the character thereof. l

f It will be seen that the motor 9 and the connections therefrom to the shaftv14 are not be- 70j. low the endless belt conveyorf4, but, to the contrary, are in a chamber disposed in the. rear of said beltV inthe rear portion of the housing 1, while the stage proper`,iincluding the conveyor 4, is at the front of thehousing 75 and immediately inside of the stage opening 2 formed in' the frontwall of the housing.

Of course, some provision must bemade for holding the toy 7' stationary, during the operation of the wheels and other parts thereof, and such provisionV is preferably aol-. justable for toys of.,di1ferent lengths. -For eXample, they stageV `ioor; can be providedV with two rows of holes 20, and a cross strip 21 can be provided for adjustment along said holes,said` cross striphaving a slot 22 for onelof the wheels `8 of the toy, `whereby this wheel will rest on the belt 4and be rotated. Pins 23, inserted through` holesin theccross piece 21 and into some` of the holes; 20, may be employed for holding the cross piece 21 in adjusted position. For other toys,having differently 'arranged wheels, other jcrss strips canwbe,Vv employed, similar to the .cross strip 21, these other cross strips (not shown) havingon-e or more'slots arranged in each case for some specific form of toy. l j

Thus,'the invention contemplates ainechanieall toy demonstrator having a support for the-vehicle wheels ofthe toy, with means 1.99

to hold the toy stationary, and means to rotate one or more wheels of the toy, thereby to simulate the ordinary operation of the toy, preferably in combination with instrumentalitiesV for simulating a stage having a more or less -attractively ornamented front and an opening therein to display the toy.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. ln a mechanical toy demonstrator, adapted for demonstrating' different wheeled toys, which toysare mechanically operative independently of said demonstrator, on any smooth floor, and are adaptedtobe sold separately as such, the combination of meansfor supporting and operating one or more of the vehicle wheels of thetoy, means for commu-l nicating operating power to said supporting' means, and wheelcontacting meansextendingltransverselyover the supporting and operating means, directly across the path vof the wheel vorwheels of the toy, tohold the toy stationary in a position suitable for eacli toy during the 'operation of the wheel or Wheels thereof, said wheelfcontacting'means having separable contact with the toy, whereliy the toy may be removed and placed on any oor. 2. A structure as specified in claim l, said supporting means comprising an endless belt forming a movable platform for the toy.

'3.1A structure as specified in claimI l, said supporting means comprising an endless belt forming a movable platform for the toy, having a flat surface for contact with the wheels7 so that thetoys may have Wheels diferently located thereon, and said means for communicatingpower comprising an electric motor havinga power-transmitting connection to said belt.

4.Y A structure'as speciedin claim l, said supporting means comprising an endless belt forming a moving platform for the toy, having a: flat surface for contact withthe wheels, so thatlthe toys may have wheels differently forming the stage floor, and with a stage opening in front to fully display the toy.

7. A structure as specified in claim l, comprising instrumentalities forming a housing to simulate a st-age, with said supporting means forming the stage floor, with space below the stage, and with a chamber in rear of the space below the stage floor to enclose said means for communicating power to the supporting mean v 8. A structure as specified in claim l, comprising instrumentalities for simulating a stage having an opening to display the toy, with said supporting means forming the stage floor, an electric'lamp at the top of said stage opening, said means for communicat- 'ing power to said supporting means Ycomprising an electric motor, with a 4single switch for controlling theV circuits of bot-h said lamp and motor.

Vpecification signed this twenty-eighth day of October, 1929. 'Y f v A WILLIAM D. 'FERRIS locatedthereon, and said means for holding` Y i the toylstationary comprisinga cross piece forjengaging one or more Wheels of the toy, While vpermitting lsuch wheel or wheels to-rotate'... Y

5; structure as specified in claim l, said supporting means comprising an endless belt forming a' moving platform for the toy, hav-k ing-aflat surface for contact with the wheels, sothat the toys may have wheels differently locatedjthereon, and said'means for holding the toy stationary comprising 'a cross piece forengaging one or morel wheels of the toy, while permittingA such wheel or wheels to rotate,t0gether `with means permitting adjust-- mentfofsaid cross piece longitudinally of saidV belt 'for different toys.l

VA structure as specifiedin claim-l,

combination-with instrumentalities for simulatingfastage, with saidsupporting means 

